Michigan Tech defenseman Chris Lipe (4) skates over to celebrate with teammates Jack Works (29) and Kash Rasmussen (16) during a game this season at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — With a sweep of the St. Thomas Tommies, 1-0 and 5-4, the No. 10 Michigan Tech Huskies moved on from the CCHA quarterfinals without playing a deciding game. The Huskies continue to find ways to win, which could bode well for them again this weekend as they host the Northern Michigan Wildcats in a single-game semifinal matchup Saturday.

Huskies coach Joe Shawhan knew beating the Tommies would prove to be no easy task, and he was right.

“We knew it was gonna be difficult,” he said. “Fully expected it to go three games. I’m a fan of St. Thomas in the way they play. Like I’ve said many times, I think they’re absolutely a Top 4 team in this league next year. They have a lot of young skill. I mean, their team is primarily made up of freshmen and sophomores, primarily freshmen.

“They have a lot of talent, four of those are 20-plus point guys. So, they compete hard. They skate well, and they’re only going to get better. They’re only going to have growth.”

While Shawhan felt that the series with St. Thomas would be a difficult one matchup-wise, he was happy to see the Huskies find different ways to have success.

“I don’t think we played our best hockey,” he said, “but we found a way to get by two hockey games, differently. One, obviously, very low scoring, one had more goals in it and, as it proved out, we needed every goal we got in both games. So, I feel very fortunate to advance.”

Shawhan feels that the CCHA was so even during the regular season, it did not matter where the Huskies finished, their opponents were going to be a tough team to eliminate.

“I think there’s so much parity, but my biggest surprise in what happened last weekend is that none of the series went three games,” he said. “I’m shocked by that. I thought I could have easily seen three upsets, what people would perceive to be upsets.”

In Jed we trust

Often in playoffs, no matter the sport, teams that have success get special performances from someone unexpected. The Huskies got that from junior defenseman Jed Pietila, who racked up four assists on the weekend, including one on the game-winner on Friday night.

Shawhan feels that Pietila plays the game the right way, but he also lives his life “the right way,” which sets him up for success.

“What’s always rewarding is that individuals such as Jed have an incredible amount of pride,” said Shawhan. “(They) live their lives the right way, are good people. (They) find a way to have success. It’s a total credit to him.”

What impresses Shawhan even more about Pietila is the fact that he is battling injuries to stay in the lineup and chip-in.

“He’s beat up, you know, as everybody is,” Shawhan said. “He’s doing it at a critical time. It gives you incredible confidence in playing him.”

Trio finding success

The line of junior winger Jack Works, and seniors Parker Saretsky and Tristan Ashbrook had a huge night on Saturday in the 5-4 win. The trio scored three goals, two by Ashbrook and one by Works, and Saretsky picked up his 20th point of the season as well.

Shawhan loves the leadership that Saretsky shows in the locker room, and how that is also translating into the best offensive season of his career.

“Parker has been an incredible on-ice performer this year,” Shawhan said. “I mean, he’s got 20 points now, a career high, but his off-ice influence has been unbelievable. His off-ice influence, and what he’s done, in the way that he does, because people look to Parker, he’s got a gravity to him. What he’s done in leading our group has been tremendous.”

Ashbrook has been “on fire” in the second half of the season for the Huskies. With his three points on Saturday, he set a new career high in offense. Since Jan. 6, he has seven goals and five assists for 12 points in 16 games after scoring just five points in his first 19 games.

“I look at it again with Tristan’s second half,” said Shawhan, “something clicked in him in the second half. He’s been an extremely complete hockey player for us.”

Works, a transfer from Denver, has been heating up since the consolation game of the GLI, where he had two assists against Michigan State. He has three goals and eight points in his last 17 games. What Shawhan loves about him is the way he approaches situations, both in practice and in games.

“He’s tenacious,” Shawhan said. “He’s like that in practice. He’s like that in practice. I have a couple incidents that are funnier than heck, but he brings a tenacity, which teams need to have. I say all the time, hard skill, and he has hard skill.

“He loves a good battle. He loves a good battle, and I admire that about him. I admire that about him, because that’s a tremendous survival technique.”

Logan Pietila quietly creates offense

While the recent run that freshman winger Kyle Kukkonen has been on, which included two more goals Saturday, has been fun to watch for fans in the MacInnes Student Ice Arena, it is easy to overlook the player most likely getting him the puck, senior center Logan Pietila. Pietila, who started the season as an alternate captain, but was quickly promoted to co-captain, has quietly racked up 11 goals and 22 points this season, one shy of his career high that he set last season.

Shawhan praises Pietila’s ability to remain calm and poised in big situations, which helps him create offense when the Huskies need it from him.

“Logan has always been quiet,” said Shawhan, “in many ways, introverted, calm and focused. As he’s matured, he’s developed a real consistency to his game. So, he’s got a creative mind to him.”

Scouting the Wildcats

When the Huskies last faced the Wildcats, they were mired in a run that had seen them go 6-11 and fall into sixth in the CCHA standings. After a split at St. Thomas, the Wildcats got themselves together and have rattled off six straight wins to close out the regular season and then sweep Bemidji State in the CCHA quarterfinals.

They are averaging 5.67 goals per game over that stretch, while holding opponents to 2.17 goals against as well.

“I think that what they’ve been able to do there is they get, it appears in watching them, there appears to be more of a buy-in to a team game. That’s certainly helping them.”

Senior forward Andre Ghantous leads the team with 12 goals and 36 points in 36 games. Senior winger A.J. Vanderbeck has 13 goals and 31 points. Freshman Joey Larson has also been strong, racking up 13 goals and 26 points in 34 games.

In goal, freshman Beni Halasz has been strong, appearing in 33 games and starting 31 of them. He has a record of 18-14 with a 2.37 goals against average and a .916 save percentage.

Game time

Saturday’s semifinal matchup is set to start at 6:07 p.m. at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton.